The Saudis should be as ashamed as the West

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan referred to the refugee problem during his press conference he held while in China. He said, “The racist position of the West on refugees, trying primarily to ensure their safety, is a disgrace to humanity.”

Racism is a shameful human crime, indeed. I would like certain Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputies, who easily slide into racism in their nationalist-Islamist discourses, to remember these words of the president.  

I was not able to understand why the “security” approach of the West on the refugee issue was criticized. We wish this “ensuring safety” viewpoint was added to the humanitarian viewpoint of Turkey toward the refugees. It is possible to adopt a humanitarian stance and at the same time be keen about the safety of your citizens. If that had happened, then jihadist militants would not be wandering around Turkey, killing innocent people in masses. I’m not even mentioning the economic losses caused by the lack of this. 
It’s not the first time that the president has accused the West on the refugee issue. As a matter of fact, he is quite correct in this. There is no need to discuss that there is resistance in the West stemming from racism and Islamophobia. 

But, if you noticed, the president somehow never accuses rich Arab countries. Saudi Arabia and Qatar can be considered among the architects of this horrendous outcome but we have not heard about them taking even one refugee. Moreover, it is much easier for Syrian refugees to harmonize with these countries compared to Western countries. They speak the same language, they believe in the same prophet, they worship similarly and their social cultures are not too distant from each other. Moreover they seem to have adequate money. 
The Gulf emirates and Saudi Arabia have to resort to other countries in the world to meet their workforce demand. Why do they not embrace the Syrian refugees? Why do they not want to? 

I wish the president would find the opportunity to ask this. 


A strange security measure 

Giant concrete blocks were placed in front of the security department building on the main street in Istanbul’s central Mecidiyeköy district. Obviously there is a serious security issue and such a measure is taken to protect the Department of Security.  

Nobody would or should oppose that.  

There is quite heavy traffic flow in that part of Istanbul. Now, because of the concrete blocks, one lane of this road is out of use, adding to the jam. Four lanes will bottleneck there and there will be traffic build-up behind it.  

I guess we can stand this for the safety of our police. 

However, another lane of the road is closed with plastic cones. In other words, the road narrows to two lanes. Why this was deemed necessary is difficult to understand. Terrorists cannot be stopped by plastic cones. Thus it should not be a terror measure. 

Those who will respect the plastic cones and not enter that lane will be normal citizens. Well, then, why are they made to suffer? 

The police protecting itself with such a security wall in the center of the city is not a good and confidence-generating image for the people, I have to say. 

If the security of our police cannot be provided at that building, then why don’t they move to another building?